Loudspeaker: Is Law the villain in rape cases?

Photo: Press Trust of India

By Nebil Nizar

Unfortunate rape and subsequent death of Delhi gang rape victim led to widespread protests whole over the country and in the digital space. Former Chief Justice of India J.S Verma was roped in along with Leila Seth and Gopal Subramanium, owing to public outcry, to recommend changes in the criminal law in the country. The Criminal Law Amendment Act was drafted, read, circulated, discussed and passed in record time. But one doubt, has anything changed since then?


Before and after Delhi incident Indian women continued to face the harsh realities of domestic violence, torture, rape, trafficking, bride burning etc. Rape gets on to the top of our chart because, as Hon’ble Justice Arijit Pasayat observed ‘While a murderer destroys the physical frame of the victim, a rapist degrades and defiles the soul of a helpless female’. The rape rate is not going down after all the attention and country wide protests. Recent case of abduction and rape of a medical student at Manipal again makes us sit and think- Can Law deter the commissioning of rape? Is Law the villain? What should be really done to stop this menace?


Let us see how our society responds to these critical questions

Joseph M.D, Student, Government Law College Ernakulam, says ‘Taking into consideration the latest spree f gang rapes across India, it is difficult to suggest that inadequacy of law is the only problem.  However I think laws existing today lack severity.’

Saumik Bose, Student, National Institute of Technology- Warangal, thinks ‘Law isn’t. The people who are responsible for implementing it are’

Nada Nashid, Student, Government Medical College- Thrissur, says ‘law is neither the villain nor the saviour, it just stays in between. The problem is with the society. Degraded morale is the basic issue. From my point of view law should ensure safety of women around and that’s a must. We can’t simply blame women for. In the present progressing world, one cannot stay indoors from dusk. A high standard of punishment by law can at the base put some stop to a few misfortunes.

Bilal Siddiqui, Student, University of Buffalo, New York says ‘I feel that our society is unable to keep up with the pace of social change. It’s simply happening too fast. While the upper middle class and the rich who live in major cities are able to adopt western ideas-way of living, dressing; the rest 70% of the 1.2 billion people who live in small cities, towns still nurture social conservatism and believe in the sanctity of inherited culture, traditions, and values. Given the current social climate, a woman should care more’

Adv. Boris Paul, Secretary, Kollam Bar Association, says ‘Law is not the snag. We have to reconcile with the reality that criminals thrive here and there and the Police and rulers are aiding crimes. Unless a fool proof crime stopper mechanism is established, we have to safeguard ourselves. As a part of safety, a girl can avoid late night strolling. That does not mean curtailing any of her right’.

Adv. Simla Prabhakaran from the High Court of Kerala says ‘Lack of law is not the key issue. We look after or discuss problems that are just hypothetical. What we should really converse is about human soul. Human mind must widen and attitude must change.  Then only this world will become a safe place for women.’

Adv. Rajesh Ramamoorthy from the High Court of Kerala also feels that there is nothing wrong with the law. He shared his thoughts thus,’ It (law) has been the same for a century and a quarter. In the past, people know each other enough that forcing oneself on a woman could have disastrous effects on the social and family life of the perpetrator by some mechanism in the society, whereas, today but for the legal consequences, the perpetrators are rarely ostracised in the society and family.’  

Dr. Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Supreme Court Lawyer and Indian Youth Congress National General Secretary say ‘Law alone is not the problem. However, strengthening of the same and fixing the loop holes and speedy trial will definitely improve the situation’

Lt. Sanil Kumar says ‘Our system of education has many flaws and an immediate reform to upgrade the same is inevitable. Education must inculcate values in the young minds. A person with ethics and values seldom insult women’. He thinks of a carrot and stick policy. He adds ‘I also think that we need to introduce a witness protection system in India. A witness should not be threatened. A witness should feel that he is a ‘Hero’. This system ensures that no one escapes the hands of law and thereby deters others’.

Prasanth Nair IAS, MD of KTDC and Addl. Excise Commissioner of Kerala say ‘It (rape) has been happening even before Delhi incident. It is continuing to happen in cities and villages. Murder, assault, rape, burglary etc happen despite laws. No law has stopped any crime completely. Surveillance, enforcement, civil society involvement and sensitisation of men are important.’

Justice V.R Krishna Iyer, Former Supreme Court of India, say, 'Law is not the villain. On the contrary it is a fundamental requirement for social survival. Violence on women and its frequency depends on the penalogical instrumentality and speedy radical operation.'

Rape is the most heinous crime committed on a woman. It is worse than a murder, as the victim dies 1000 times, when she is alive. A carrot and stick policy is the need to tackle this. Blaming the law won’t terminate this problem. At one side we need to develop a society of value rich souls who believes in ethics. Sensitisation of men is inevitable. Other side, we need to have surveillance, enforcement and punishment. A witness protection system is also a good thought.

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